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The role of the human resources function has gone from back room administrator to the executive suite as companies recognize that recruiting, onboarding, engagement, retention, compliance, and benefits affect more of the bottom line than just payroll. Strategic HR is an integral component of the Walsh College management curriculum, and the College’s continuing education initiatives. Through The Walsh Institute, small- and mid-size company owners and managers have the opportunity to learn practical information from experts in the field.

On Thursday, March 7, The Walsh Institute will hold its Fourth Annual HR Summit utilizing the expertise of Walsh alumni and faculty and focusing on the issues facing the workplace today. The Summit is chaired by Walsh College adjunct professor and alumna Tina Marie Wohlfield, SPHR, and Rebecca Davies, an employment attorney with Butzel Long, both veterans of the HR arena and frequent speakers on healthcare reform and its impact on companies. Wohlfield is currently employed as HR and Compliance Manager at Benefit Review Services, Inc. (BRSI). Both Butzel Long and BRSI are sponsoring the Summit, scheduled for 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Walsh College Troy campus.

“We’re following the Walsh classroom model of applied learning in this conference,” says Wohlfield, “with stories from the trenches, and lessons from the HR office. Everyone will take away something that can be used the very next day.”

Priority Health is also sponsoring the program, with Eastern Region Vice President Don Whitford presenting a session on What Employers Need to Know about the Affordable Care Act. Whitford is also a Walsh alum. Experts will be joined by practitioners sharing best practices in strategic HR, including the luncheon speakerLucy Sternburgh, manager of Employee & Community Health Promotion at Beaumont Health System. She will discuss how Beaumont’s wellness initiatives transcend traditional goals and encompass benefits for the environment and employee engagement.

Walsh College is accredited by The Higher Learning Commission (www.hlcommission.org; phone: 312-263-0456). Specific degree programs are accredited by the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP, www.acbsp.org).